Trump Signs Order to Overhaul Smithsonian's Historical Narratives

The directive tasks Vice President JD Vance with removing 'divisive' content and restoring monuments, including Confederate statues, while restricting funding for exhibits deemed 'anti-American.'

President Trump’s executive order, titled 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' mandates changes to Smithsonian museums and federal monuments to align with 'traditional American values.'
Vice President JD Vance has been assigned to oversee the removal of exhibits and programs at the Smithsonian Institution that are labeled as promoting 'divisive' or 'anti-American' ideologies.
The order specifically criticizes the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the forthcoming Women’s History Museum for advancing 'race-centered' and 'improper' narratives.
Federal funding is now prohibited for Smithsonian exhibits or programs that 'degrade shared American values' or recognize transgender women in any capacity.
The Department of the Interior has been directed to restore monuments removed since 2020, including Confederate statues, as part of the administration’s broader rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.